1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally pertains to sectional doors and more specifically to door panel with extruded panel members.
2. Description of Related Art
A sectional door typically includes a series of panels whose adjacent horizontal edges are each pivotally connected by a row of hinges. As the door opens or closes, the door panels travel along two lateral tracks that in one configuration curve between horizontal and vertical. To close the door, the tracks guide the panels to a vertical position. When the door opens, the hinges allow the panels to curve around onto horizontal sections of the tracks, where the door panels store horizontally overhead. In other configurations, the sectional door maintains a generally vertical, planar configuration and is stored more directly above the doorway. Such doors, regardless of their configuration, can be powered up or down or can be manually operated. To ease the operation of the door, a torsion spring is often used to offset the weight of the door panels. Sectional doors are commonly used as residential garage doors; however, they are also often used in warehouses and other industrial buildings.
When used in high-traffic industrial applications, sectional doors are very susceptible to being struck by large trucks, trailers, forklifts and other vehicles passing through the doorway. Collisions are often caused by a door""s torsion spring becoming weak with age or not being properly preloaded, which can allow a door to droop into the doorway by not opening fully. Consequently, an upper edge of a vehicle may catch the lowest panel of the door, which often breaks or destroys just that panel.
To avoid having to repeatedly replace the lowest panel with an identical one, a more impact-resistant panel can be used as a replacement, such as a panel that is tougher and more flexible. However, to do so, the replacement panel should be about the same size as the one being replaced. The replacement panel should also have a seal member whose shape and location is suitable for sealing against an existing door panel. Providing such a replacement door panel can be difficult to do, because of the different types of seals and the wide range of existing door panel sizes. A panel design whose length, width or seal configuration is not readily altered would generally require a large inventory of panels to meet the requirements of numerous door applications.
Some door panels have metal frames with sheet metal skins. Such construction features can make a door panel difficult to shorten or lengthen (along the width of the doorway) to match the existing panels. Such features also make it difficult to change a door panel""s width (vertical dimension when the door is closed).
Other door panels may perhaps be extruded, such as those of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,718,276; 5,445,206; 5,170,832; 4,979,553; 4,924,932; 4,432,591 and 3,247,637. Extruded panels may be relatively easy to cut to length (i.e., doorway width); however, their width and seal geometry is generally fixed. It""s conceivable that interconnecting a series of relatively narrow panels could create doors having various accumulated heights. However, with current designs, flexing between each adjacent panel means each individual panel may need to have its own means for guiding itself along the track. Since each additional guide member contributes drag to the door""s movement, a door with numerous narrow panels may be more difficult to open and close than a door with fewer panels. The problem of drag not only applies to doors whose bottom panel is replaced, but also applies to new door construction.
Consequently, there is a need to be able to manufacture replacement door panels as well as entire doors for doorways of various width and height, and to be able to do so without having to manufacture and stock numerous door panels of various sizes and seal geometries.
In some embodiments, a sectional door is provided with several panel members with at least one panel member having more freedom to pivot relative to a first adjacent panel or panel member than it is able to pivot relative to a second adjacent panel member.
In some embodiments, one panel member is substantially fixed to a first adjacent panel member, but is able to pivot relative to a second adjacent panel or panel member.
In some embodiments, a door panel comprises a series of extruded panel members.
In some embodiments, a sectional door is provided with a door panel comprising several panel members of various widths.
In some embodiments, a door panel is comprised of several interlocking panel members.
In some embodiments, a door panel member is provided with a hollow interior, so the panel can be readily extruded.
In some embodiments, a door panel member is provided with a hollow interior, so the panel can be filled with thermal insulation.
In some embodiments, a seal member can be attached to a door panel member at alternate locations, so the resulting panel can serve as a replacement panel for existing doors of various seal designs.
In some embodiments, a door panel comprises a set of interlocking panel members that are reinforced by two end caps, wherein the end caps facilitate the mounting of various door hardware.
In some embodiments, a door panel is made of door panel members of plastic for flexibility and includes a hinge made of steel for strength.
In some embodiments, a sectional door includes a door panel of a transparency ranging from transparent to opaque.